Half a billion hits for crime mapping site

The "Draw Your Own Area" function has been launched on the two-year anniversary of the website - police.uk - which has received more than half a billion hits since it went live.

The website - used by more than one in ten adults in England and Wales - previously provided data from a standard one-mile radius from a given postcode. But the new developments allow visitors to plot the precise area for which they want information on crime, anti-social behaviour and outcomes

A statistical breakdown featuring pie charts and graphs to show the rise and fall of crime has been added, along with information on the local Police and Crime Commissioner.